GO-SLOW METHODS CURED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXIX, Issue 9545, 10 March 1919, Page 5

GO-SLOW METHODS CURED

SYDNEY, February '21. Everyone knows tliafc the virulent poison of "go-slow," sedulously and subtly administered, by I.W.W. satellites, lias' eaten, deep into the vitals .of industry in this country. # It is aimed at the private employer, but, curiously enough,\it is found most frequently in the various Federal and State undertakings, the explanation being,, no doubt, that the private employer quickly finds out the rascal, and gets rid of him, while the State will put up \mh anything. . •The Cockatoo Island dockyards : (a Federal Navy undertaking) have now "registered a. kick" which will.probably"'have a. far-reaching and excellent effect. ;,. The dockyard manager ' # the other day, with practically no warning, dismissed 205 boiilermakers and 350 nssistante who had been persistently going slow. He practically stopped the work on a big Navy collier which is under construction, but he directed attention in" no 'uncertain way to the manner in which he has been treated by his workmen. He pointed out thai; the output of these riveters had been formerly 295 rivets per man per day. bufc that this had dropped latterly to an average of 73 per day. He had protested, and the average per man, per day had risen by the staggering total of two and a-haif. Meanwhile, similar workers at "Walsh Island and Williamstowni yards were producing from 20D to 300 rivets per day. An attempt had been made to keep up the output by employing men overtime and on .shifts, but the union would agree to neither arrangement, and it assumed a threatening attitude at the very mention .of piecework. The 500 men took their dismissal badly, and talked wildly of victimisation and a great strike. But their </:>-*! was too weak, even for the extremists, who are always waiting to lead unions into stormy waters. The public was against them—the public, indeed, openly laughed at them—and within a few days they surrendered. Their emissaries wenit to the manager and sought terms, and the manager proved to be a not unworthy disciple of Foeh. fie made no unwise mixture'of justice with mercy. The well-beaten riveters, ho%rever," took all that was coming to them, and went back to work. They have promised that .their output shall not fall below a certain) standard, and that they will riot oppose overtime, shifts, or even piecework, if these things are demanded by the management.